Electric circuit controlling appliance



Feb. 13, 1934. J. SACHS ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CCNIRCLLINC APPLIANCE FiledSept. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l I/EUDF.

/5 Uffa/75 VT Feb. 13, 1934. J. SACHS v ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLINGAPPLIACE Filed Sept. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 13, 19341,946,504 FlcE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING APPLIAN CE Joseph Sachs,West Hartford, Conn.

Application September 16, 1931 Serial No. 563,148

15 Claims.

'Ihe present invention relates particularly to electric circuitcontrolling devices of the type described in my Patents No. 1,754,445and No. 1,790,- $241 dated respectively April 15, 1930 and January Theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a switch of this generaltype, but so constructed as to be adapted to provide a plurality ofbreaks and preferably four or more breaks in the circuit within a verycompact space. As the result of the invention I am enabled to produce ancillcient and reliable switch at a low cost,-and I also obtain certainimportant operative advantages which are hereinafter described. Theinvention 'is particularly `valuable when used in unfused switches,although it is by no means so limited.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improved detailsof construction particularly applicable to unfused switches, but notnecessarily limited to such switches adapted to provide four or morebreaks.

In the accompanying drawings I-have shown y the invention embodied in anunfused switch and in a fused switch, but it will be understood that thedrawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construedas defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming apart of this specification being relied upon for that purpose. Of thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an unfused switch embodying the invention, aportion of the front cover of the enclosing cabinet being broken away.`

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the switch shownin Fig. 1, the enclosing`cabinet being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the liner33of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary front view similar to Fig. 1, but showing themovable switch parts in open positions'.

'.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing the movable switch parts in open positions.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the various parts of onexof theswitch units separated from each other in order that their details ofconstruction may more clearly appear.

Fig. 'l isa fragmentary front view similar to Fig. 1, but showing afused switch.

The switch embodying the invention is particularly adapted to be mountedwithin an enclosing cabinet, such as 1, and it is so shown. 'I'hecabinet 1 may be of any usual or preferred'construction and isillustrated as being rectangular inform with an openable front cover 2.The rear wall and the side Walls of the cabinet serve to support thevarious parts of the switch.

As shown, there are two separate switching (Cl. 20o- 145) There areprovided at least two similar transversely spaced pairs of stationaryswitch contacts arranged with adjacent contacts of adjacent pairselectrically connected with each other. Only two pairs of such contactsare shown in' the drawings but there may be three or more pairs ifnecessary. The contacts of the two pairs are indicated in the drawingsat 3 and 4 and at 5 and 6. Preferably the two contacts of each pair aretransversely spaced, and their contact faces are parallel and facetoward each other. The two contacts 4 and 5 are electrically connectedwith each other and may be conveniently formedfrom a single piece ofmetal constituting a contact member.

The manner of mounting of the several stationary contacts may be varied,but I prefer to `provide for .this'purpose an insulating supportingdevice 7 which is secured by means of screws 8, 8 `to the rearsupporting wall which, in this case, is the rear wall -of the cabinet 1.The two outer stationary contacts 3 and 6 are mounted directly on the'insulating supporting device 7, the former being held. by screws 9 and10 extending forward from the rear of the supporting device 7 and thelatter being held by'screws 11, 11

extending rearward from the'front of the supporting device. A wireterminal 12 is connected with the contact 3 near the rear thereof and awire terminal 13 is connected with the contact 6` near the frontthereof. y

When there are two or more groups of switch contacts and two or moreseparate switching de- `vices as herein shown, there may be a singletransverse insulatingsupporting device which 'is large enough to supportall of the stationary switch contacts. Preferably, however, there isprovided a separate insulating supporting device '7 for each group ofcontacts, these separate supporting devices being separately supportedon the rear wall of the cabinet entirely independently of each other..The several separate contact units may be identical in construction, orthey may differ. The provision of such separate contact units has theadvantage of simplifying manufacture as but a small number of styles ofunit isrequired for a large variety of switchesihaving different numbersof legs and otherwise differing from each other. It has the furtheradvantage that, in case of injury to the contacts of one group thecorresponding unit can be removed and replaced withoutv disturbing otherunits.

For supporting the combined contacts 4 and 5 there is preferablyprovided a central insulating plate 14 which engages at its rear edgewith the insulating supporting device 7. Preferably and as shown thesupporting device is provided with a groove into which the plate 14fits. The plate 14 is provided with a transverse slot through whichextends a U-shaped contact member which constitutes the before-mentionedcontacts 4 and 5.

For making and breaking the circuit between the contacts of the twopairs I provide two similar transversely spaced switching members whichare movable in unison parallelly with each other and between thecontacts of the respective pairs. The two switching members, whilemovable in unison as hereinafter described, are preferably entirely freefrom any direct mechanical connection with each other. When the contactsof each pair have substantially parallel faces which face each other asis shown in the drawings, each switching member comprises a contactelement with substantially parallel faces adapted to engage anddisengage the contact faces of the two stationary switch contacts `ofthe corresponding pair. Preferably and as shown each switching membercomprises a thin fiat insulating element 15 on which the correspondingcontact element 16 is supported, the said contact element extendingthrough a slot in the insulating element and having its contact faces atopposite sides thereof. Preferably each switching member isrectilinearly movable, being guided at the rear partly by the insulatingsupporting device 7 and partly by the rear Wall of the cabinet as isclearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

Positioned near the front of the stationary switch contacts is aninsulating plate 17 which is spaced forward from the insulatingsupporting device 7. Preferably the plate 17 is supported by means ofsmall metal brackets 18 secured to the forward projecting parts of theswitch contacts 6, being connected with the said brackets by means ofscrews 19. The plate 17 serves to guide the switching members at thefront. Removal of the plate 17 permits removal of the switching membersfor inspection, repair or re-.

placement.

In addition to serving as a front guide for the switching members thefront plate 17 also serves to hold the central plate 14 in its properposition. Preferably the central plate 14 is notched at 14 as shown inFig. 6 and a small block 20 is releasably secured to the plate 14 bymeans of a screw 21 extending through a hole 21a in the plate. 'I'heblock 20 is notched as shown and is so positioned that the portionthereof between the notches will enter the notch 14a in the plate 14.Thus when the block is in place the plate 14 is held against movementeither laterally or longitudinally. When the plate 17 is removed theplate 14 can Abe removed in the forward direction. However, by removingthe screw 21 the plate 14 is released so that it can be removed in theupward direction without removing the plate 17.

The two switch members are entirely free for limited lateral adjustmentindependently of each other as determined by the engagement of theircontact elements with the corresponding stationary contacts. Preferablythe insulating supporting device 7 is provided with grooves forreceiving the rear edge portions of the insulating elements 15, but itwill be observed that these slots are wider thanthe said elements so asto permit the lateral adjustment. Preferably the plate 17 is providedwith structurally separate studs or buttons 22 which limit lateralmovement of the front portions of the switching members. It will beobserved that lateral movement of the front portion of each switchingmember is limited in one direction by the central insulating plate 14and in the other direction by the corresponding stud 22. Inasmuch aseach switching member can adjust itself independently of the companionswitching member, I am enabled to obtain firm electrical engagementbetween the several stationary and movable contacts, such engagementbeing effected notwithstanding minor inaccuracies due to initialconstruction or subsequent wear or abuse.

For the purpose of operating `the two switching members in unison, Iprovide a cranked operating member 23 which is pivotally mounted insuitable apertures or bearings in the opposite side walls of thecabinet 1. This operating member extends through slots 24 in therespective insulating elements 15 of the switching members. It will beobserved that the switching members are entirely independent except fortheir engagement with the common operating member. The operating memberdoes not interfere in any way with the described free transverseadjustment of the switching members.

There is provided an operating handle 25 which may be rigidly connectedwith the' operating member. Preferably, however, this handle isconnected with the said member by means of a suitablequick-make-and-break mechanism, such as shown in my Patent No. 1,444,557dated February 6, 1923. The handle 25 is secured to a hub 26 which isrotatable in a relatively large aperture in the corresponding side wallof the cabinet. Secured to the hub 26 is a projecting operating finger27. Rotatably mounted on the hub 26 is an intermediate member 28 whichis held in one or the other of two extreme positions by means of anover-the-center spring 29 surrounding a guide rod 30. The lower end ofthe guide rod is enlarged and is pivoted to an ear 31 on theintermediate member 28 and the other end of the rod 30 is guided in abracket 32 secured to the side wall of the box. 'I'he intermediatemember 28 is provided With ears 33 and 34 which are adapted to beengaged by the operating finger 27 and which are also adapted todirectly engage the crank portion of the operating member 23.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the parts in the position 'which they occupy when theswitch is closed. When the handle 25 is moved downward the finger 27 isturned in the clockwise direction and this causes a similar movement ofthe intermediate member 28. This movement continues until the ear 33engages or approximately engages the cranked portion of the member 23,at which time the spring 29 is at or near the dead center. Continuedmovement carries the spring past dead center and the spring thereuponacts to throw the parts quickly to their open-circuit positions. Whenthe switch is to be closed the operation described is reversed and thecranked portion of the member 23 is engaged by the ear 34 and is carriedwith a snap action from its closed-circuit position to its open-circuitposition.

Stops 35 and 36 are preferably provided for limiting the movement of theoperating member 23 and preferably there is also provided a springdetent 37 which assists in holding the operating member in its uppermostopen-circuit position.

It will be apparent that by reason of the present invention I am enabledto provide a switch having facilities for breaking the circuit at fouror more places, and am at the same time enabled to m'ake the verticaldimensions considerably less than is necessary with a switch of the typedisclosed-in my Patent No. 1,754,445. This reduction in the verticaldimension is particularly important for unfused switches, wherein thevertical length is not required for the fuses. With a fused switch suchas shown in the last before-mentioned patent, the two pairs ofstationary contacts are vertically spaced and the fuse itself serves asthe means for electrically connecting one contact of one pair with thecorresponding contact of vanother pair. With an unfused switch, however,it is necessary when the two pairs of contacts are vertically spaced toprovide a separate electrical connector. this separate electricalconnector is made unnecessary, as the two contacts, such as 4 and 5,

are directly joined. As the result of the de-v I am enabled to effectfurther economies by being able to mount the stationary contacts of bothpairs on a single compact insulating supporting device. Furthermore, byreason of this compact arrangement of the contacts, the enclosingcabinet can be much smaller than would otherwise be necessary.

It will also be apparent that by my improved construction I not onlyprovide four breaks vin the circuit, but I also provide insulatingbarriers which, upon the breaking of the circuit, are interposed betweenthe several disconnected contacts and serve to prevent any possiblearcing that might otherwise tend to occur. The insulating elements 15,15 constitute barriers between the stationary switch contacts 3, 4 and5, 6 and the central plate 14 constitutes an insulating barrier betweenthe movable contacts 16, 16.

While the invention Ycan be most advantageously embodied in an unfusedswitch, it can nevertheless, if desired, be embodied in a fused switch.In Fig. 7 Ik have shown a construction which is substantially the sameas that shown in Figs. 1 to 6, with the single exception that provisionis made for associating a fuse with the switch. There is provided aplate 17a similar to the plate 17 and similarly supported at the top. Atthe bottom, however, it is -supported by a bracket 38 secured to therear wall of the cabinet l. A fuse contact 39 is secured directly to theforward projecting portion of the switch contact 6, and a companion fusecontact 40 is mounted directly on the plate 1 7 at the lower partthereof. A wire terminal 13a is electrically connected with the fusecontact 40.

'I'he present application is intended to be limited to those features ofinvention which are incorporated in or are applicable to a singleswitching device or unit for one leg of, a circuit, and which do notinvolve a plurality of switching devices or units and which do notinvolve means for supporting a fuse in association with the switchingdevice or unit. 'I'hose features of invention herein disclosed whichinvolve a plurality of switching devices or units or which involve fusecontacts in association with a switching vdevice or unit are set forthand claimed in my copending application for Electric circuit controllingappliances, Serial No. 659,922 filed March 7, 1933 as acontinuation-in-part of this present application.

What I claim is:

l. In an electric switch, the combination of two similar transverselyspaced pairs of station- By virtue of the present invention ary switchcontacts arranged with adjacent contacts of the two pairs electricallyconnected with each other, a transverse cranked operating member, andtwo similar transversely spaced rectilinearly movable switching membersfree from direct mechanical connection with each other but bothconnected with the operating member for movement in unison parallellywith each other, each switching member comprising a contact elementadapted to engage and disengage the two stationary switch contacts ofthe corresponding pair.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of two similar transverselyspaced pairs of stationary switch contacts arranged with adjacentcontacts of the two pairs electrically connected with each other, thetwo contacts of each pair having substantially parallel contact faceswhich face toward each other, an operating means, two similartransversely spaced switching members detachably engaging the operatingmeans and movable thereby parallelly with each other and each comprisinga contact element with substantially parallel faces adapted to engageand dsengage the parallel contact faces of the two stationary contactsof the corresponding pair, and means normally engaging both switchingmembers and movable to release them to permit their forward removal fromthe switch each independently of the other.

3. In a fused electric switch, the combination y of two similartransversely 'spaced pairs of transversely spaced stationary switchcontacts arranged with the adjacent contacts of the two pairselectrically connected with each other, two similar transversely spacedswitching members movable parallelly with each other and in unisonbetween the contacts of the respective pairs, each switching membercomprising a contact element adapted to engage and disengage the twostationary contacts of the corresponding pair, a wire terminalelectrically connected` with the rear portion of the otherwiseunconnected switch contact of one pair, and a pair of fuse contacts oneof which is electrically connected with and directly supported upon thefront portion of the otherwise unconnected switch contact of the otherpair.

4. The combination in 'an electric switch, of two similar pairsof-stationary switch contacts arranged with adjacent contacts of the twopairs electrically connected with each other, two simi-- lar switchingmembers movable parallelly with each other and each having a contactelement adapted to engage and disengage the two stationaiy contacts ofthe corresponding pair, the said switching members being entirely freefor limited transverse adjustment independently of each other asdetermined by the engagement of their contact elements with thecorresponding stationary contacts, and means for operating the saidswitching members in unison.

5. An electric switch as s et forth in claim 4, wherein the two pairs ofstationary switch contacts are transversely spaced from each other andwherein the two switching members are transversely spaced from eachother.

6. An electric switch asy set forth in claim 4, wherein each switchingmember comprises an insulating element with a slot therein extendingsubstantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement, andwherein'there is a crank member extending through the slots of the twoswitching members to operate them in unison,

the said crank member being adapted to permit the said free transverseadjustment.

7. 4An electric switch comprising in combination, a rear insulatingsupport, two similar transversely spaced pairs of transversely spacedstationary switch contacts carried by the support and arranged with theadjacent contacts of the two pairs electrically connected with eachother, two similar transversely spaced parallel rectilinearly movableswitching members each com- `prising a thin flat insulating element inguiding engagement at the rear with the support and also comprising acontact element carried by the insulating element with its contact facesat opposite sides thereof, and an operating member for moving theswitching members in unison parallelly with each, other between and intoand out of engagement with the stationary contacts of the respectivepairs.

8. An electric switch comprising in combination, a rear insulatingsupport, two similar transversely spaced pairs of transversely spacedstationary switch contacts carried 'by the support and arranged with theadjacent contacts of 'the two pairs electrically connected with eachother, two similar transversely spaced parallel rectilinearly movableswitching members each comprising a thin flat insulating element inguiding engagement at the rear with the support and also comprising acontact element carried by the insulating element with its contact facesat opposite sides thereof, a front plate supported at least in part onone of the stationary contacts and having guiding engagement with thefront edges of the insulating elements of the switching members, and anoperating member for moving the switching members in unison parallellywith each other between and into and out of engagement with thestationary contacts of the respective pairs.

9. An electric switch comprising in combination, two similartransversely spaced pairs of transversely spaced stationary switchcontacts arranged with the adjacent contacts of the two pairselectrically connected with each other, two similar transversely spacedrectilinearly movable switching members each comprising a thin flatinsulating element having a slot open at the rear and also comprising acontact element carried by the insulating element with its contact facesat opposite sidesthereof, a transverse cranked operating memberextending through the slots for rectilinearly moving the two switchlng4members in unison between and into and out of engagement with thestationary contacts of the respective pairs, and means normally engagingboth switching members and movable to release them to permit theirforward removal from the switch each independently of the other.

10. In a switch of the class described, the combination of 'a rearinsulating supporting device, a central insulating plate engaging thesupport and partly held in place thereby, a contact member carried bythe plate and shaped to form statlonary contacts at the opposite sidesthereof, two other stationary contacts carried by the supporting deviceand cooperating respectively with the rst said contacts to form twosimilar pairs of contacts, two similar switching members rec tilinearlymovable parallelly with each other at opposite sides of the insulatingplate and guided in part by the supporting device and each comamato/iprising a thin flat insulating element and a contact element carried bythe insulating element and shaped to engage and disengage the twostationary contacts of the corresponding pair, and means for operatingthe two switching members in unison.

11. A switch as set forth in claim 10, wherein there is a .front platewhich serves as a guide for the said insulating elements at the frontand which also serves to hold the central plate at the front thereof.

12. A switch as set forth in claim lll, wherein there is a front platewhich serves as a guide for the said insulating elements at the frontand which also serves to hold the central plate at the front thereof,and wherein there is provided on the front plate means for releasablyengaging the central plate to prevent longitudinal movement thereof, thesaid central plate being freely removable longitudinally when the lastsaid means is released.

13. In'an electric switch, the combination of a rear insulating support,two transversely spaced stationary switch contacts carried by thesupport and projecting forward therefrom, at least one switching memberrectilinearly movable between the. said contacts to make and breakelectrical connection between them, a wire terminal electricallyconnected with the rear portion of one of the stationary contacts, and awire terminal electrically connected with and directly supported uponthe front portion of the other stationary contact.

14. The combination of a rear supporting wall, a rear insulating supporton the rear wall, two opposed stationary switch contacts projectingforward from the support, a, switching member rectilinearly movablebetween the stationary contacts and comprising a thin flat insulatingelement having guiding engagement at the rear with the said wall andwith the said support and also comprising a contact element carried bythe insulating element and having contact faces at opposite sidesthereof, a stationary insulating plate at the front of the switchingmember and having guiding engagement with the front edge of theinsulating element thereof, the said plate being supported at least inpart on one of the stationary contacts, a Wire terminal electricallyconnected with the rear portion of lone of the stationary contacts, anda wire terminal electrically connected with and directly supported uponthe other stationary contact in front of the plane of the said plate.

15. The combination of two opposed stationary switch contacts, aswitching member rectilinearly movable between the stationary contactsand comprising a thin flat insulating element and a contact elementcarried by the insulating element and having contact face: at oppositesides of the insulating element adapted to engage and disengage the twostationary contacts, a stationary insulating plate at the front of theswitching member and having guiding engagement with the front edge ofthe said insulating element, and a stud structurally separate from thefront plate and projecting rearward therefrom at one side of theinsulating element to limit lateral movement of the switching member.

J OSEPH SACHS.

